


Never Shall we Die

by let_love_run_red



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, Angst, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Pirates, Romance, Smut, pirate!kylo - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:55:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26843221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/let_love_run_red/pseuds/let_love_run_red
Summary: The Cutthroat Captain. The sails of his ship are stained red with the blood of men, good and bad men. He is wicked, he is cruel, nobody knows who he really is. Some call him the hand of Poseidon, carrying out the sea god's whims. Others call him the devil, come to reap souls. He is the King of the seas, and a King needs a Queen.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Reader, Kylo Ren/You
Comments: 1
Kudos: 79





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Thieves and Beggars](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/696694) by Beskarbabs. 



Another government meeting in the largest house in Port Royal. You sighed, sitting in the chair at your father's side. Ever since Mama had died, you'd been attending the meetings she would have, sitting in her place, tracing the grain on the ornate table top and wishing for something else to do.

Today it was something else about the boats. About the pirates, about the merchandise being moved. More boring things. You were ten! you wanted to be out playing in the gardens and chasing your father's hunting dogs around the grounds, finding flowers that your mother would then braid into your hair while she sang to you.

The thought of it made you miss her all the more. The Scarlatina had struck her hard, taking her energy and your unborn sibling. She had been too tired to play, to sing to you, to love you. And you supposed that wasn't her fault, but you had been angry with her. Thought she didn't love you. You wished for her to be taken away, considered running away so she would realize how much she missed you. You were so angry that when the doctors said she didn't have much time, you refused to see her. What did they know?

You always regretted that, you thought. What if seeing her had made her want to stay? You supposed you'd never know.

You looked up and realized your father was on his feet, shouting with another man in a fancy coat. He wouldn't notice your absence. You stood and walked towards the door, hiking up the skirt of your dress as you walked past the guards. They likely assumed you were headed to the chamber pot. Rather than taking a left down that hall, you continued straight, ducking out into the garden and sneaking out of the cracked wall, to the marketplace, where you did your most interesting people watching.

* * *

_"Blow high, Blow low, and so sailed we, the quarter that we gave them was to sink them in the sea, Sailing down 'long the coast of High Barbaree."_ He sang quietly to himself as he walked down the streets of the markets. He tried to keep the drool in his mouth as he smelled the cooking meats and fresh fruits. He looked in all the stalls, thinking of how even one of those fish could feed him for a week. He stopped when he saw an unmanned stall, peeking over the edge to see what it contained.

Corn, bushel upon bushel of fresh green corn, just lying there, unattended, begging him to take them. He felt his stomach rumble as he imagined what his mum could do with even one ear of corn. He thought of cornbread, and boiled kernels, corn pudding, and without thinking of the repercussions he snatched two ears and tucked them under his vest.

He tried to hide the smile on his face as he walked down the street, trying to keep hold of the large vegetables. He hadn't realized the tops of the corn peeking out of the vest, and didn't notice until someone planted a large hand on his shoulder and spun him around.

"What have ye got there boy?" The man snarled, reaching into his jacket and pulling the ears of corn out.

"N-nothing." He stuttered, trying to squirm from the man's grip and reach for the corn.

"It sure don't look like nothing." The words were spat in his face as the man grabbed his arm and dragged him towards a pair of guards walking down the street towards him. He started trying to pull his arm away, kicking at the man and trying to go dead weight, but nothing worked. He couldn't be arrested, what would mum do? He grabbed the man's arm, pulling himself forward and sinking his teeth into his forearm.

The man shouted, dropping his arm and turning to smack him. He ducked under the fist, scrambling to his feet and running towards the only empty alleyway he could see. He wove through feet and dodged skirts and shoes, trying to put as much distance as possible between him and the guards.

He finally ducked behind a stack of barrels in an alleyway, smacking his head into someone else's face.

"Hey!" She cried, standing up and glaring down at him. She couldn't have been much younger than him, maybe only a year or two. She was wearing a fancy pale blue dress with a shiny gold necklace on. A castle rat. He sneered, ready to snap at her when he heard the guards.

"Where'd he go?" They snapped to one another. He watched the girl turn, her (h/c) curled hair bouncing around her face. She opened her mouth and Kylo pulled her down by her arm. She landed in his lap and he wrapped an arm around her middle to pin her arms down, using his other hand to cover her mouth.

"Shh!" He hissed in her ear while she struggled against him. It wasn't until the guards had walked past, and she was trying to bite his hand, that he released her. She scrambled away from him, turning to fix him with a bewildered stare.

"What do you think you're doing!?" She snapped. Kylo pushed himself up to his feet, looking down at her.

"Running." He said.

"But it's hard when a castle rat is in your hiding spot." He snapped at her. She seemed taken aback at that.

"Were you running from the guards?" He was silent in response, looking around to make sure the coast was clear before walking out from behind the barrels. She followed him, pulling the skirts of her long dress up and trying not to trip over the cobblestone in her fancy heels.

"Are you a thief?" She snapped, running ahead of him. He pushed past her to walk down the street, weaving between people and hoping she would leave him alone.

He had no such luck.

"What did you steal?" She pestered him. He continued to ignore her as he walked, hands tucked into the pockets of his trousers while he tried to avoid stares from people.

"If you don't tell me, I'll get the guards." She said, catching up with him. He growled low in his throat, wishing she would go away.

"They're right there, they'll listen to me over you, I know it." She said. He finally snapped, grabbing her arm and pulling her into another alleyway.

"Corn! I tried to steal corn. I'm hungry. Now will you fuck off?" He asked. For the first time since he'd met her she was silent. He tried to walk past her when she gently reached out and tugged on his sleeve.

"I'm sorry you're hungry. Would you like me to get you something?" She asked. He looked back at her with furrowed brows.

"I'm the governor's daughter, I can take whatever I'd like, and the guards can't do anything." She said. He shook his head, trying to push past her again.

"Wait, please!" She called, following after him.

"What do you want?" He snapped.

"I don't know." She said. He let out another sigh. He should have gone with the guards.

"You seem interesting." She said, looping her arm through his and leaning against him, the way his mother did with his father. Was it a lady thing? He wouldn't know. He resisted the urge to push her off as he walked through the streets towards the docks.

The two walked in silence. Well, he walked in silence, she rambled on and on about her father and what he did, how her mother had died, how she was important to the government, how she would grow up to marry the Commodore or some such nonsense. He was only half paying attention as they approached the docks. He admired the ships, both the small ones docked and the larger ones in the port that were too deep in the draft to come close.

"Did you hear me?" She asked, poking him harshly in the side. He winced and looked down at her.

"Have you ever been on a ship?" She repeated.

"No. I haven't." In truth, he wanted to be. He wanted to be sailing on a ship away from this wretched place. He wanted to take his mother and father and give them a better life somewhere else. Maybe to America, his father had taken them here, to Port Royal, in hopes of a better life. But they lived as peasants, scraping and begging for every last scrap of food. Maybe, if he had a ship, he could take them to the motherland. To Europe, or France even. But he was stuck here, on the docks, watching the ships come and go.

"I can get you on a ship." She said suddenly. He looked down to her with narrowed eyes and furrowed brows.

"What?"

"I said I can get you on a ship. Do your ears work?" She asked, tilting her head.

"Yes my ears work just fine." He snapped. "What's in it for you?" He'd learned, nothing came for free in life. Especially not in Port Royal.

She shrugged as she stepped forward. Her arm was still linked with his, so he followed her as she walked through the docks towards where the East India Trading Company ships were docked.

"I just want to know your name." She said. "And I'm bored, the ships always have interesting things going on." She said, walking towards the largest ship docked. It was named The Hyperion, and it was gorgeous. It was one he figured was to sail soon, it had been docked for a few weeks.

The hull had been painted a rich navy blue, with the posts and rails a royal gold. The sails were a pristine white, every rope was in the proper place, and the men swarming about it had not a hair out of place. It was perfect in every way, the perfect ship.

He hadn't realized he'd broken into a smile until she commented on it.

"Wow, you're more excited by a ship than a pretty girl." She lamented, unlinking their arms. He hadn't moved as he inspected the ship.

"Want to go?" She asked, poking him in the side again. His jaw dropped as he turned to look at her.

"Can, can we?" He asked in disbelief.

"I told you, I'm the governor's daughter. I can do whatever I want to." She said with a grin. He rolled his eyes again.

"But!" She suddenly shouted, startling him.

"You have to tell me your name!" She finished. He let out a heavy sigh. He didn't care for her to know him, to be able to track him down and bother him further, but oh how he wanted to board that ship.

"Name, or no ship." She said, folding her arms like a petulant child.

"What are you, eight?" He snapped.

"I'm ten actually." She huffed indignantly.

"Fine. My name is Kylo." He said walking towards the ship. She grabbed the sleeve of his shirt and pulled him back.

"Last name too Kylo." She said. He kind of liked the way his name rolled off her tongue. It sounded smooth and elegant.

"Ren." He huffed. She grinned.

"Kylo Ren is a lovely name." She said, before turning to the ship.

"Wait a minute," Kylo called. She turned back to look at him.

"What's your name?" He asked. She laughed.

"You don't know my name already?" She poked him in the stomach. Why did she keep poking him?

"It's (y/n) (l/n). Now come on Kylo, we haven't got all day to sit around talking." She flounced off towards the ship, and Kylo tried his best to follow her closely without being noticed.

She paused by the gangplank, waiting for the traffic up and down it to cease, before she dashed up it with surprising speed. Kylo had to actually run after her before she dragged him down behind a stack of crates near the railing.

"I thought you said you could do what you wanted?" Kylo hissed. She shushed him and nodded.

"Then why are we cowering behind crates?" He asked. She grinned sheepishly.

"Well, technically I'm supposed to be in a meeting with my father now. And they've likely noticed my absence." She said, glancing around. So she was running too? That intrigued him.

"Come on." She said, grabbing his shirt sleeve and dashing across the deck to the open hold and scurrying down the ladder. They were on the gun deck now, and she dragged him behind a cannon as a pair of the royal navy walked past. He turned, examining the cannon next to him. It was a demi cannon, it could probably fire a 15 kilogram solid shot straight through a pirate ship!

As he moved closer to it, (y/n) hissed at him to stop moving. He hadn't realized why until there was a sickening snap, and the demi cannon started rolling backwards into the walkway. He looked down to see he'd knocked the block from behind the wheel of the cannon. He ducked as it swiveled and almost smacked him in the face.

"Kylo!" (y/n) snapped as he scrambled backwards, bumping into the canon on the other side of her and sending that one rolling back too. There was a commotion on the upper deck as people flooded down to the gun deck, catching the cannons as the ship rocked lightly. They hadn't caused any damage, but Kylo knew that they _could_ have, and that was enough to execute someone.

Strong hands grabbed him by the upper arms and dragged him to his feet. (y/n) stood, rushing towards the guards.

"Wait! Stop! Don't hurt him please!" She begged, trying to catch his shirt sleeve. The soldiers paused momentarily, before dragging him to the main deck. He heard the soldiers addressing (y/n) gently while they pulled him up the steps.

He was thrown, quite unceremoniously, before the captain of the ship. He looked up to see a face he recognized, Commodore Whiteford. He lowered his head, trying not to cry. He knew the punishment for stowaways, and it wasn't pretty.

"A stowaway Commodore, he tried to loose the cannons on the gun deck." The soldiers said. Kylo focused on the grain of the wood under his palms, willing it to be a fast execution.

"No! He's not a stowaway!" He heard (y/n) shout.

"Miss (l/n), what are you doing here? Everyone under your father's command is looking for you!" Commodore Whiteford snapped.

"I was exploring! He followed me onto the ship, it's not his fault, don't hurt him." She growled. Well, growled as much as she could. Commodore Whiteford looked at her with pity.

"Miss (l/n), you mustn't run off. Your father is worried sick over you. Come, my son will escort you back." Commodore Whiteford said, whistling shrilly. A lanky boy, older than Kylo, jogged over.

"Jackson, please make sure Miss (l/n) makes it safely back to her father." He said. The boy nodded, stepping forward and grabbing (y/n)'s arm harshly. She winced and let out a whimper. Something about the sound made Kylo's blood boil as he moved to stand up.

"Hey!" He shouted. No sooner than the word left his mouth did Commodore Whiteford have his rapier drawn with the blade pointed at Kylo.

"You will not address my son, street rat!" Whiteford snapped. Kylo cowered slightly before hearing (y/n) shout in pain. He looked over to see Jackson dragging her down the gangplank. She'd tripped and lost a shoe, allowing the splinters from the wooden plank to dig into the sole of her foot.

"You're hurting her!" He shouted. Before he could move he felt a searing pain across his face. He stumbled backwards, landing on his back on the deck. Blood dripped into his right eye, it stung. He lifted a hand to his face, brushing against the shred of fabric from the collar of his shirt. There was blood running down his face and soaking into his shirt from his chest. He couldn't breathe as it smeared across his hands.

"The mark of a stowaway, and treason." Commodore Whiteford snapped. He turned to the rest of the soldiers.

"Bind him, and drag him to the gallows. He is charged with attempting to pirate a ship of the royal navy." He growled. Kylo was too shocked to protest as the soldiers pulled him to his feet, shackling his arms behind his back with heavy iron cuffs.

* * *

"Father!" You shouted, tears streaming down your face as the nurse wrapped your foot with wet linens. Your father was pacing in front of you, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. Mum always said he'd get wrinkles if he kept making that face. But she wasn't there to tell him that anymore. He turned to look at you, kneeling down next to you and taking your hands in his own.

"(y/n), my sweet, he's been charged with attempted piracy, there is nothing I can do for him." He said, looking at you sadly.

"He bears the mark of treason. Even if I could pardon him, there would be no life for him." He finished. You pouted and turned away from him.

"It was my fault." You whispered.

"What?"

"It was my fault we were on the Hyperion in the first place!" You shouted in his face.

"Young lady, do _not_ lie to spare the life of a peasant." He snapped at you. You looked at him, your own thin brows furrowed this time.

"I'm not lying! It was my idea, he was trying to leave, but I asked him if he wanted to see the ship! I didn't think there would be any harm, we weren't going to steal it, just look!" You tried to explain frantically.

"Even if that's true darling, he's on the gallows march now. There is _nothing_ to be done." He said softly.

"I will _never_ speak to you again if he dies." You seethed. He let out a hefty sigh, rising to his feet and pacing again.

"You'll get over him my love." He said.

"No I won't! He's my friend!" You shouted again. Despite only spending a few hours with Kylo, he was one of your closest friends, well, friend that wasn't your cousin anyway. You thought of his crooked smile, his lips that looked so soft, and the long dark hair that had whipped around his face in the sea breeze.

"I love him." You pouted. That stopped him dead in his tracks, and you knew you'd found your in.

"You what?"

"I love him father! And if you let him die I shall never speak to you again! I'll follow mama to my grave and never speak another word to you!" You cried, willing the tears to fall again. You didn't realize it, but as the tears fell, your true feelings for the scrappy boy you'd lured onto the ship were spoken aloud.

Your father seemed taken aback as he watched you cry. The nurse had long since left the room, and he hissed lowly.

"My daughter will _not_ fall in love with a peasant boy." You hoped you hadn't pushed him too far, this was Kylo's only chance.

"If I pardon him, you will _never see_ him again, do you understand?" He snapped. You nodded frantically and he crossed the room, grabbing you by your arms and hauling you to your feet. You yelped as you put weight on your injured foot.

"Do you understand!" He yelled.

"Yes! Yes father, I understand." You cried in fear. He let you sit back in the chair, sweeping out of the room towards the stables. You followed him as quickly as you could on your injured foot.

When you caught up with the gallows march you easily spotted Kylo. He was the only child in the mix of adults. His shirt was ragged and his wrists bled from the iron cuffs. You had to resist the urge to gasp as you followed your father's white stallion on your small dappled gelding.

"General, wait." Your father called as he pulled his horse to a halt. You kept your gaze trained on Kylo as he looked up, and your heart sank.

His beautiful face was now split by a long red scar that started above his eyebrow, and ended below his collarbone. There was blood smeared across his face and chest, soaking into his shirt. There were tracks streaked into the blood where his tears had cut a path through the redness. You resisted the urge to leap from your horse and run to him.

The general approached Kylo with the ring of keys, unlatching the shackles from around his wrists and ankles. Kylo hesitated, shaking slightly before your father rode towards him. Kylo balked slightly as the stallion stopped just short of running him down.

"You are never to see my daughter again. Do you understand me?" He hissed. Kylo nodded frantically, stepping backwards. Your father kicked his horse harshly, causing the stallion to rear slightly as it screamed.

"Go!" He yelled. Kylo scrambled backwards, falling onto his back and pushing himself away from the horses hooves as it landed again. He rolled over, pushing himself to his feet and running away from the gallows march, through the crowd, and out of your sight.


	2. Chapter 2

You stepped silently through the gardens, doing your best to avoid the paving stones and only walk on the grass. It was raining, which helped mask your footsteps as you traveled. Your black sealskin cloak was wrapped tightly around your shoulders, repelling as much of the rain as possible. The oil lamp sheltered beneath it barely lit the way in front of you as you followed the stone wall, trying to avoid the attention of the guards on patrol.

Ever since your father had thought he saw Kylo in the gardens, they'd doubled the patrol. But Kylo was smart, he'd grown up in the streets and knew how to avoid the guards when he wanted to.

You snapped out of your thoughts as you heard bootsteps, and a pair of guards were illuminated by a flash of lightning and crack of thunder. You ducked into a cramped crevice in the stone, wrapping your cloak around the oil lamp as much as possible. You held your breath as the pair of guards walked past, muttering something about your father overreacting. That this many patrols weren't necessary, that nobody had seen that "street rat" since the day he'd been pardoned at the gallows. 

You were so focused on the guards conversation that when something, or someone, snaked their arms around their waist you had to clamp your hand over your mouth to keep from screaming. You felt soft lips press against your neck and let out a playful growl as you shoved him away, lifting your lamp to light his face.

"Kylo ren you scared me half to death!" You whispered harshly. He smiled his crooked smile, the one that melted your heart. His hair was soaked and sticking to his forehead. His shirt and trousers clung tightly to him, revealing the impressive build from years working at the weapon smith. You reached up, pushing his hair away from his honey gold eyes. He rested his hands on either side of your face, cold and wet, but welcome anyway.

You grabbed a fistful of his hair at the nape of his neck and pulled him down to kiss you, reveling in the feeling of his plush lips against your own and his tongue in your mouth. You kissed him until you felt you were drowning, yet he felt like coming up for air. He was destroying you and saving you, all at the same time. Finally you pulled away, resting your foreheads together.

It had been six years since your father pardoned him from the gallows. Six years since you promised never to see him again. That promise had lasted a month, and only because your father had hired a team of nannies to watch you day and night. Finally, _finally_ , you had a chance. You had snuck away, running as fast as you could to the marketplace. You checked alleyways and streets, behind buildings, in stables, anywhere you could think of, until you heard his voice in the weapon-smith.

You'd ducked in, glancing around warily. There he was, stoking the coals of the forge. The scar where Commodore Whiteford had cut him was pink in color, no longer the angry red, but it would forever mark his face. You'd been amazed someone had taken him in, but Will had always been a kind man. 

You'd whispered his name until he looked up, spotting you in the corner. At first he was angry, you understood that, but once you'd explained that you'd never meant for that to happen, and that you were sorry, he'd forgiven you. 

It had been five years since you finally admitted your feelings to each other. When he was thirteen, and started getting even bigger than he was before. You'd told him you loved him while you were sitting in the garden eating sweet cakes you'd snuck from the kitchen. He paused in his chewing, muttering a simple "ok" before taking another bite of the sweet cake.

You'd furrowed your brows, looking at him in confusion. You were never sure of his feelings. He never voiced them, never told you, but you had hoped. Hoped there was something there. yet here he was, saying nothing after you'd admitted your feelings.

"Kylo, I said I love you." You said, slightly louder. He paused, looking at you out of the corner of his eye, not turning his head. 

"Did you hear me?" You asked, trying not to cry.

"Yes." He said, reaching for another sweet cake.

"You also love dandelions and tulips, and the color pink, and sweet cakes." He said. You paused, you never remembered telling him those things. You never tried to hide them, but they weren't things you thought he'd realized.

"You love a lot of things." He said, taking a nibble of the sweet cake in his hand. He rubbed his face on the side with the scar. It was a pale pink now, still not fully healed, not starting to fade. It itched sometimes, you knew that.

You sat up on your knees in your dress, planting your hands on his shoulders and pushing him down onto his back. He landed with a soft huff as you held yourself up over him. You looked down into his soft golden eyes, wishing he could just _know_ how you felt so you wouldn't have to explain it.

"You're an idiot!" You snapped. 

"I love you _more_ than dandelions and tulips. And I would stop eating sweet cakes forever and never look at another pink thing for the rest of my life if I could spend it with you." You said. He was silent for a moment, looking up at you.

"Ok." He said again. But this time his cheeks were burning a bright shade of red. It made the moles on his face stand out that much more. You growled and collapsed on his chest, laying across him. He let out a huff when you landed and you mumbled into his chest.

"What?" He asked. You lifted your head to fix him with a glare.

"You were supposed to say you love me too." You grumbled, planting your face back in his stomach. It wasn't as soft as it used to be, he was getting stronger.

There was a long moment of silence, and you could almost feel your friendship melting away with each passing second. Kylo finally broke the silence.

"I'm not good at it." He said softly. You looked at him. He was staring up into the sky, tracking the clouds with his eyes as his hands were still on his chest. Now it was your turn to ask what he meant.

"Saying it." He said. He brushed your hair behind your ears without turning to look at you.

"But I thought you knew." He said even softer. And it suddenly clicked. Every time he'd shared his meager meals with you, every time he let you link your arm in his as he escorted you through the streets, every time he'd held you while you cried over how cruel your father was, it was him showing you he loved you. 

Now, as you stood in your cramped sanctuary with one another, away from the prying eyes of anybody, each of you basking in the company of the other, he told you. Whispered it over and over in your ear as he kissed up and down your neck. You had your hand buried in his wet hair as his hands wandered across your body over your night skirt.

"I love you." He finally said, pressing his lips back against yours. You accepted the soft kiss, feeling it grow more desperate as he leaned against you. He pulled your skirt up under your cloak, touching your thighs and your hips over your shift. You sighed as his fingers found their way under your shift and between your legs, tugging on his hair and causing him to let out a hum of pleasure from deep in his chest.

"I love you, I love you so much." He whispered against your lips. You pulled away from his kiss and his fingers paused their movements.

"You've told me a dozen times tonight." You said softly, confusion written across your face. He'd never told you this many times in one night. Usually those words were reserved for when the two of you were naked in your bed under the covers, you curled against his chest and listening to his strong heart beat. You'd always comment on it, and he would always say it beat for you.

He was silent now, refusing to meet your gaze. Something was wrong.

"Kylo," You paused, leaving the air empty for him to fill. He never did.

"What's going on?" You asked warily. You feared the worst, he was in more trouble, there was someone else he loved more, he was only doing this out of pity, or a feeling of indebtment. But what he said was worse than you could have imagined.

Before he spoke, he took your free hand in both of his, lifting it to his lips and kissing it gingerly. You brushed your fingertips over his face, tracing his scar gently. You knew every freckle and mole of his face, including the ones cut in half by Commodore Whiteford all those years ago. You rested your hand on his cheek and he leaned his head against your touch.

"I'm leaving." He whispered softly. You were silent. Had you heard him right? 

"What?" You asked, pulling your hand away from his face.

"I'm leaving. Tomorrow. I'm a deck hand on a trading ship, we sail in the morning." He said, looking down at his boots. You backed as far from him as you could, willing your heart to stay in your chest, and to stop feeling like it had been ripped in two.

"How?" You asked, more harsh than you had meant. He winced when you mentioned his scar like that.

"It's a French ship, they didn't care about my scar. Said it wasn't treason against their king." He said. "Besides, they needed strong men." He said. You felt tears running down your face. So many things could happen to him at sea, he could fall overboard, catch a fever, killed by pirates. Even if he survived he would be gone for at least six months, possibly a year.

"(y/n) please, I have to go. But I want your blessing." He begged. Trying to turn your head to look at him. You pulled your head away, staring down at your own shoes.

"(y/n) plea-" You slapped him. He seemed taken aback as you gathered your cloak around you again, straightening your shift and holding your lamp up to light his face.

"You abandon me here and have the nerve to ask for my blessing? No Kylo. I won't give it." You stormed out of the crevice, immediately being assaulted by rain drops. There was enough to snuff out the lamp and you were forced to make your way through the gardens in the dark. Thunder cracked around you, and you thanked the lord for the rain that masked your tears from even yourself. 

* * *

It had been a week since that night in the garden. You'd cried yourself to sleep every night since he'd left, wishing you could have said more. That you hadn't let your emotions get the better of you. Now there was the chance you'd never see him again, never be touched by him again, and the last thing you had done was hurt him.

You were curled up on the ledge of the open aviary window. It was quiet and warm, the perfect place to read. Well, to pretend to read while you let your mind wander. You were skimming the pages of your most recent novel when a scraggly gray pigeon flew into the aviary. It had a small scroll attached to it's leg, and you marked the page in your book. You stood, approaching the bird and gently untying the scroll from it's leg. You unrolled it, surprised to see your name written at the top.

_My dearest (y/n),_

_I know I am likely the last person you want to hear from, but I couldn't resist. I will always love you, even when you hate me. You live in my heart, in my head, and my soul is never complete without you by my side._ _I will miss you every day I am gone. I'm sorry I had to go. You know being on the sea is my dream, I just wish it could have been with you._

_The voyage has been smooth so far, no storm systems, and no wretched pirates. I do wish you could have come. I promise someday I'll take you on a grand voyage across the sea._

_Until I can, I promise to write to you every chance I get. I'll visit whenever we make port in Port Royal. And my love, I'm yours. Only yours. There will be no other woman, nobody else who can make me feel the way you do. I hope you'll accept this token, even though you gave it to me first, and wear it always._

_Forever yours,  
_ _Kylo_

Inside of the scroll was a small piece of a red silk sash. You recognized it as the one you'd given him for his sixteenth birthday. He always had it around his waist, or tied around his arm, or to hold his hair back. He loved it, and never went anywhere without it.

The piece he'd given you was small, as small as your thumb. It was just small enough to fit in your mothers locket that you wore. You slipped the piece of fabric into the locket, using your fingernail to tuck the corners under the edges of the frame to hold it in place. You closed the locket, pressing it against your chest, and vowing never to remove it. You would wear the locket until Kylo was safe in your arms again.

* * *

The salty wind whipped the loose edges of his hair around his head, throwing them into his face as he stood at the edge of the rail, looking up at the stars. He'd traded his rough burlap shirt for a light puffy sleeved cotton shirt, standard issue for the French sailors. His hair was pulled back into a loose tail at the nape of his neck with a black ribbon, to keep it out of his eyes while he worked.

He could feel the eyes of the night crew on his back as he looked up to the stars. He should be sleeping, but in the distance he could still see the lights of Port Royal, though they were faint. He looked to the moon, wondering if you were looking at it too. If the bird had made it, if you had kept the piece of the sash.

He reached down running his fingers over the sash. He paid special attention to the frayed corner where he'd cut the piece off and attached it to the letter. He'd listened to the crew scoff while he did so, but he didn't really care for their opinion. He knew they saw him as the dreamy new boy, with too much life in his eyes and a naïve love of the sea, as if he didn't know what the black waters held for him.

He looked down at the sash, wondering if you were wearing your piece too.


	3. Chapter 3

He stood at the rail of the ship, watching the bird fly towards Port Royal the way he had done a dozen times since he'd set sail all those years ago. Ten years flew by in the blink of an eye on the sea, with nothing but the sun and stars to keep the time. Their short visits at port kept a secret. Pirates were unwelcome in all but the most dubious of towns. 

Kylo rested his hands on either side of the buckle on his midsection, enjoying the feeling of the wind through his hair and the salty spray of the sea on his lips. He felt confident on his feet as the ship swayed beneath him, adjusting his balance as it rocked. It had taken him a month to gain his sea legs, back when he was still green around the ears and had the lean body of a young man. How he'd changed.

He filled out the black cotton shirt he wore, he'd had to loosen the laces when he got it or it wouldn't fit around him. The black breeches clung tight to his thighs as he paced the ship. The heavy black boots he wore caused a resounding _thump_ when his feet connected with the dark wood of the deck. The red sash tied around his waist and pinned under his belt was soft when it brushed against his fingertips. The tails of his darner coat whipped in the wind, the sound of it accompanied by the jingle of the bag of coins on his hip next to his pistol. He rested a hand on the pommel of his sword as he paused near the helm.

"Phasma, how's the wind?" He asked his first mate. She was a tall blonde woman who had been disowned by her family for her abnormal stature and interest in sailing. She'd joined the crew three years ago and quickly gained Kylo's trust, to the point where he'd appointed her first mate.

"We should be in Port Royal in two day's time if the wind keeps this way." She said with a grin. He returned the smile and nodded, turning to look over the main deck of the ship. It was an impressive ship, with dark wood and deep red sails. It had withstood the worst of storms with he and his crew had been through. It was enduring, it was strong. His ship was an extension of him and he would be damned if it was anything but perfect.

"Captain!" There came a shout from the crows nest. He snapped his head up and squinted into the sun, the brim of his tri-cornered hat barely blocking the bright rays.

"Navy ship off the port bow!" The young boy shouted. He was the youngest of the crew, only 16 years old. He was from a separate pirate crew, one of the crews Kylo and his own had captured and slain. All but one.

Kylo ran to the port of the ship, hopping up on the rail and grabbing one of the ropes as he leaned over to peer ahead and around the ship. He saw a rather small ship painted the colors of the royal navy approaching them quickly. They fired off a warning shot, barely missing the beak on the front of his ship. Kylo let out a booming laugh, swinging around the rope on his heel and dropping back onto the deck before bouncing down the stairs with a wide grin.

"Men! Give no quarter!" He shouted. There was a chorus of "aye!" coming from the crew as Phasma turned the ship toward the British ship.

"Bring any survivors to me."

* * *

You stood in the corner of the ball room, goblet of wine in hand as you watched the people around you mingling. Your cousins were there, well, the female ones at least. Margaretta was chatting with Alida, most likely about her many suitors back home. Alida had already been married off, her husband Cyrus was around somewhere and honestly was likely the only man you'd want to talk to tonight. Cyrus was a decent man, average height, brown hair, brown eyes, steady respectable job, respectable parents, average and unremarkable in every way. Which you supposed was why Alida hadn't put up a fight when her father set up the marriage, she liked to shine.

A brick could shine next to Cyrus.

"(y/n) darling, are you alright?" He asked as he suddenly appeared beside you. His hair was tied back with a blue ribbon and he wore a blue coat to match. He gently touched your elbow as he looked down at you. You shook yourself out of your thoughts as you dropped the locket onto your chest.

"Yes Cyrus, thank you. Why aren't you mingling?" You asked. Normally Cyrus was a social butterfly, once Alida was done parading him around. Well, parading _herself_ around next to him.

"Never liked the political bunch. Especially not seamen." He swirled the wine in his cup and looked at you with a smile.

"This whole party is for you dear, I could ask you the same thing." He said, turning his gaze back to the crowd. They were all talking and laughing, the men kept looking your way. One in particular, Commodore Whiteford's son. He was older than you by a few years, and you knew your father had his eye on him as a son-in-law.

You shook your head before taking a dainty sip of your wine, wishing you could have more. But you knew your father would frown upon that, you were supposed to seem sophisticated, which meant no more than one goblet of wine every three hours you had to be in this miserable party.

"I take it none of these men interest you?" Cyrus asked. He wordlessly emptied his wine into your cup, filling it nearly to the brim. You gave him a thankful look before taking a larger drink than you had before.

"No. Not in the slightest." You said, glaring in distain at the groups of men strutting around and comparing accomplishments, not their own but their fathers. The main topic of conversation was the recent sinking of the Imperious, one of the smaller Navy ships. It wasn't carrying cargo on it's return voyage, but no survivors were found. Only the remains of the ship floating ashore.

You knew this ball was meant to give you a chance to choose a suitor before your father did it for you, you should be taking advantage of him giving you a say in your future. But your true love belonged to the sea.

He was a sailor with wild hair, salt crusted lips, and a scar across his face. He would always be wild, and there was no way your father would agree to let you marry a simple deck hand. If Kylo was Commodore than maybe, but that position had been promised to Commodore Whiteford's son.

"Well good luck darling. I wish you the best but it seems my wife is calling." Cyrus said, not looking at you but flashing a smile to Alida who was beckoning him from across the room. His smile was fake, you could hear it in his voice, but he put on a face all the same as he crossed the room to Alida and greeted the new woman she was talking to.

You rolled your eyes and took a drink, nearly spitting it out when someone spoke up from beside you. He had a sharp commanding tone, one that set you on edge for a reason you weren't entirely sure of. You turned and looked into the gray eyes of Commodore Whiteford's son.

"My Lady (y/n), would you care to dance with me?" He asked. You plastered a fake smile on your face.

"Why sir, I don't make a habit of dancing with men I've only just met." You said. He chuckled, standing next to you. You made a quick effort to drink the rest of the wine in your glass between questions.

"So what is your name?" _gulp_

"Interesting, and what do you do now?" _gulp_

"How fascinating, how long have you worked on the ships?" With one final swallow the goblet of wine was empty and you finally felt ready to dance with the man. He was the sixth, no seventh, man you'd danced with tonight. Your feet hurt and you were ready to be done. As he held you uncomfortably close to him he sparked a conversation about your locket, which was sitting low on your chest.

"That's quite the lovely necklace. Was it your mothers?" He asked. You smiled fondly at the memory of her. Your anger at her for leaving you had melted away over the years, replaced with warm memories and soft feelings.

"Yes, it was. She left it to me when she passed." You said. You thought of the picture of her in the locket that you'd tucked in the small metal frame after her death, with the scrap of red sash on the other side. You liked to think that by wearing the locket your mother looked after you, and by having the sash in the locket that she also watched over Kylo.

"Well it's beautiful. It makes your eyes sparkle." He said, flashing a grin. His teeth were perfectly straight but his breath was horrendous as he breathed in your face. Kylo's always smelled like mint, he had a habit of plucking the mint leaves in the gardens and chewing on them. Every time you walked past those bushes you thought of him.

The dance continued for longer than you were comfortable with, longer than the song the band was playing lasted. He held you tight to him, so tight that you could smell his odor through the thick coat he wore, the one marking him as the son of the commodore.

"You know, that locket would be a lovely trinket to pass down to our daughter." He said quietly. You felt your stomach lurch at the thought of sleeping with this man, let alone having children with him. You gave a tight lipped smile and pulled away slightly, excusing yourself. You left the ballroom in the direction of the washroom and instead sneaking out into the gardens the way you'd done for the past two nights.

You passed the mint plants, taking a deep breath in as you walked past and feeling your face break into a smile. You quickly ducked into the small crevice in the wall, pulling your skirts in around you. You reached into your corset and pulled the small piece of paper out. You unrolled it, rereading the message that had arrived from the carrier pigeon two days prior.

 _My dearest (y/n),  
_ _I apologize for my lack of letters recently, we've been far from shore for far too long. I have pleasant news, we will be stopping in Port Royal in three days, two, if the weather holds. I hope to see you. Please, wait for me in the gardens in our place, and I will find you. I promise.  
_

 _Yours always,  
_ _Kylo_

You reread the note a few times, glancing around the gardens and listening for any sign of Kylo. Soft footsteps through the grass, quiet humming of a sea shanty he'd learned, the soft whistle of a lullaby he always remembered, anything to give you a hint he was there. But you heard nothing for the second night in a row. You sighed, the weather may not have held on the seas, but you had still hoped. You stayed until the you heard the footsteps of the guards. You quickly tucked the note back into your corset near your heart and stepped out of the crevice, rounding the corner to meet the patrol. 

"Miss (l/n), shouldn't you be at the ball?" One of the guards asked. You gave a bright smile.

"Yes, I'm so sorry, I just needed a breath of fresh air. You know, all the dancing and socializing made me a little dizzy." You said with a chirp. The guards exchanged glances before escorting you back to the ball room. You let out a sigh as the Commodore's son met you in the doorway, trying to drag you into another dance. 

Finally, after socializing, drinking, and dancing until the early hours of the morning, you told your father you weren't feeling well and needed to lie down. He let out a sigh, but agreed. He had socializing of his own to do to decide which young man he would approve to have as a son-in-law. 

You retreated back to your room, stepping quietly through the dark hallways guided only by candlelight. When you finally reached your room, you took a candle from the holder on the wall that had been lit and lit two of the candles in your room. Not enough to shed light over everything, but enough to get by.

You quickly rid yourself of your skirts, changing into your night shift and pulling the pins from your hair. You shook your head and let out a sigh as the weight of your hair was no longer all atop your head. You glanced around the room, basking in the warm light shed by the candles and and the shadows they created.

You climbed under your covers, pulling them up to your shoulders as you lay your head on the pillow. You thought of Kylo, missing him dearly. You couldn't help but think of him, how his laugh sounded, how he would absentmindedly scratch at the scar across his chest when he was nervous or thinking deeply, how his hands felt in your own.

How his hands felt on your body, running over the curves of your hips and thighs, squeezing your breasts, how his tongue felt when he would worship your body like you were a Goddess. How his lips felt on your neck, how they felt around your nipples and your clit when he would undress you and lie between your legs under the covers so that if anyone walked in they wouldn't see him.

You tossed and turned before finally settling on your back as you thought of him. How his cock felt inside of you as he fucked you. How he moaned when you would bite his shoulders, leaving marks all over his freckled skin, sucking deep bruises onto his neck and chest while he pinned your hips down to fuck you deeper. Your hand wandered down between your legs, it was highly improper, but ever since Kylo had dragged your first orgasm out of you at 16 you had been addicted to the feeling.

You lifted your knee under the covers, feeling the bottom of your night shift slide up to your thighs. You pulled it up to your stomach, sliding your hand between your legs. Your fingers ghosted over your clit as you remembered the feeling of Kylo's tongue on your cunt. The way he would roll your clit with his tongue before gently sliding his fingers inside you, stretching your walls to prepare you for his cock. He could always make you cum with his mouth before he even pulled his cock from his trousers.

You rubbed circles over your clit, imagining it was Kylo instead who was touching you. You imagined the feeling of his lips on your neck while he finger fucked you, curling them in just the right way to bring tears to your eyes and make you see stars. You carefully slide two fingers inside yourself, not quite able to reach. But it still felt good nonetheless. You could feel your orgasm building, building, building. You were so close to the sweet release it would bring, finally being able to sleep, when-

"You miss me that much?" You jumped and quickly pulled your hands our from under the covers, turning towards the balcony to see Kylo sauntering in confidently. His hair was loose, falling in waves around his shoulders. His black cotton shirt was unlaced to reveal his wide chest, and the heavy boots he wore announced his presence every time he took a step.

You threw a pillow angrily at him. He caught it with a chuckle, dropping it onto the bed as he kicked off his boots. You rolled to face him as he untied the red sash around his waist, pulling his shirt off over his head. He bent over, holding his weight up with his hands on the bed. You reached up, tangling your hand in his hair. It was somehow soft, even after all this time on the sea. You fisted your hand in his hair, causing him to let out a small hum as you pulled him down for a kiss. You licked your lips when you pulled away, tasting the salt left on them.

"You taste like the sea." You said softly, pulling him into the bed with you. He buried his face in your shoulder as he ground his cock against your thigh experimentally.

"You taste like home." He said softly, holding his weight up with one hand while sliding the other under your night shift. His fingers were icy and rough as he ran his hand over your body, pausing to pinch your nipple. You gasped at the feeling, your pussy clenching around nothing. You still wanted to cum, still wanted to feel the knot inside you snap.

"Please Kylo, I want to feel you." You said, running your hands down his chest and pausing at the waistband of his trousers. He smirked, kissing you deeply before helping you push his trousers down his hips. His cock sprang free, the tip already leaking precum just from the friction against your thigh. You let out a soft gasp when you saw it. You'd been fucked by him more times than you could count, yet somehow every time you saw it it still surprised you.

You reached down squeezing his cock gently and pumping a few times. You watched Kylo's reaction as he bit his lip, dropping his head to rest on your shoulder as he breathed heavily. It had been too long for both of you, you knew. Neither of you would last very long but that was ok, as long as it was with him.

You parted your legs further, allowing him to settle himself between your thighs. You guided his cock to your dripping pussy, hooking one foot behind his back and pulling him towards you. He obliged you, sliding just the tip of his cock inside you. You gasped and he gently covered his mouth as he rocked back and forth slowly, getting you used to the stretch of him again. 

He pulled his hand away, leaning down to capture your lips in a kiss as he pushed further into you. Inch by inch you could feel him stretching you, could feel the tears pooling in your eyes as he reached parts of you that you hadn't felt pleasure in in months. He kissed you softly, taking your mind off the slight pain caused by not being stretched in so long.

Finally he was fully sheathed inside you. Finally you felt full again. He pulled away from your lips, looking down and watching your face for your reaction. For you to tell him what you wanted from him. You used your heel to apply a bit of pressure to his lower back and he gently rocked his hips against yours again, causing his cock to rub your walls. You felt him hit the spot deep inside you that you'd been trying to reach before he'd interrupted you, and nodded frantically.

"Yes, yes there." You said breathlessly. He pulled his cock slowly out of you, resting a hand gently on your cheek, tracing your lips with his thumb. You poked your tongue out, licking the pad of his thumb and tasting more salt. You nipped at his thumb before wrapping your lips around it and sucking softly. You pushed on his back again and kylo thrusted his hips forward, sliding back into you quickly.

You let out a moan as his cock hit your insides exactly where you needed it. Just where you needed it to bring your orgasm back from earlier. You reached down between your thighs, skimming your fingers over your clit before reaching down further and feeling his cock sliding in and out of your pussy. You let out a sigh as he moved his hand from your face down to your pussy. He watched you for your reaction as he pushed one of his fingers in with his cock. Your eyes flew open along with your mouth as you let out a gasp. He quickly pressed his lips against yours to silence you, hushing you gently.

"We have to be quiet love." He said softly. You nodded and he added another finger while he fucked you. You'd never felt this full, never felt so stretched and so complete before. You touched your clit again with your fingertips, pressing gently and rubbing circles over it in rhythm with Kylo's thrusts. You felt the pressure building in your stomach again, and reached your other hand up to tangle in Kylo's hair. You had to ground yourself or you felt like you would float away from him.

You let out a gasp and gripped his hair tighter, pressing harder on your clit and rubbing faster. You were so close, almost there. Kylo knew you were, he could feel it in the way your walls clenched around his cock while he fucked you. He added another finger, pulling away from your lips to whisper in your ear.

"Come for me love, I want to feel your perfect pussy squeeze my cock until I fill you with my seed." He said. He gently nipped at your neck and earlobe. That was enough to drive you over the edge and you came with a silent gasp, your eyelids fluttering with your pussy as it clenched around him. You continued rubbing your clit, more slowly now, as Kylo fucked you through your orgasm. You could tell by how fast his thrusts were that he wouldn't last much longer.

He pulled his fingers from your pussy, pushing your hand away from your clit and pressing his thumb against it. Your eyes flew open at the sudden pressure as he started rubbing your clit again. He was going to pull one more orgasm from you before he came, he loved doing it. Loved how you shuddered when you came more than once in a row, loved how your pussy fluttered around his cock. He used his other hand to hold your hips down against the bed as they instinctively bucked against him.

Your body felt like it was on fire, like you were burning from the inside out as he roughly traced circles over your swollen clit, coaxing your exhausted body into another orgasm. You could feel the knot building inside you again, tighter and faster than last time as he changed the direction he was rubbing circles. Finally you clamped your thighs against his sides, throwing your head back as another orgasm washed over you. It was harder this time, more intense, you loved the feeling of the shockwave rolling over you as he fucked you into the bed.

"That's it love, squeeze my big cock with that tight pussy of yours, God I love when you come on my cock." He huffed, shuddering as his cock twitched. You felt his cum paint the inside of your pussy as he continued to thrust and rub your clit, trying to keep the feeling as long as possible. 

Finally, when both of you were spent, he collapsed onto the bed next to you. You were both panting, a thin sheen of sweat covering your bodies. He pulled you against him from behind, pressing soft kisses to the back of your neck. You let out a happy sigh, feeling more satisfied than you had felt in months.

"Your father wants you to marry." He said suddenly, softly. Like speaking it would solidify it.

"He does. Someone of status." You said, just as softly. You couldn't turn to face him, you couldn't meet his gaze. There was a long silence where all you could hear was Kylo's heavy breathing and all you could feel was his heartbeat against your back.

"I can't do it. My heart is yours Kylo." You said, turning to look at him. You rolled over to face him and gently traced the scar across his face, down his jaw and neck, across his chest. You rested your palm flat against his chest and mapping the freckles across it.

"You'll be forced. They'll hold a bedding ceremony if you refuse." He wouldn't meet your gaze, brows furrowed, as if he was thinking of something. You hated that he was somehow always right. You let out a sigh, tucking your head under his chin.

"Run away with me." He said suddenly, pulling away and looking down at you. You looked up in surprise, you had never considered that before. You'd always thought he would come back to stay with you.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"They'll come for me, it would never work." You said sadly. Oh how you wished you could leave with him.

"I will make it work. Trust me." He said, pressing his lips against yours passionately.

"I'm here for two more days. On the third, stay right here in your bed, and I will come for you. We'll run away from here, never be caught. We can be together forever." You were considering it when you heard heavy footsteps outside your door. You quickly shoved Kylo off the bed, throwing a blanket over his naked form and the clothes on the floor, pulling another blanket up to your chest.

Just as you'd laid back down there was a heavy knock on the door before it flew open. The sun was just peeking over the horizon and into the room as the guard spoke in a loud voice with the intent of waking you.

"Miss (l/n), Lord (l/n) requests your presence at once to choose a suitor." He snapped. You stirred, trying to pretend you had just woken up. The guard huffed and pulled the door shut sharply. You heard footsteps retreating and threw the blankets off as Kylo pushed the blankets off of himself, grabbing his clothes and quickly redressing. You watched him as he pulled his boots on before he put his shirt on, admiring the heavy muscles across his back, eyeing the scars marring his skin.

"I'll do it." You said softly. He was tying the sash around his waist when you spoke. He froze, turning to face you in surprise.

"I want to be with you. Only you." You said. Kylo smiled, crossing the room and taking your face in his warm hands. He bent down to kiss you once again, whispering a soft "I love you" against your lips.

You watched as he crossed the room, dropping down from the balcony into the gardens. You sighed as he snuck out of the gardens, disappearing beyond the walls. Soon, soon you could be with him forever. Until death did you part. 


	4. Chapter 4

Your legs shook as you walked down the stairs to the dining hall. You had to reach a hand out to steady yourself on the wall, cursing Kylo as you nearly tripped down the last step. You straightened yourself and crossed the room to the empty table. You settle yourself daintily in the seat across from your father, trying to appear proper. 

There was a long beat of silence while your father chewed his food thoughtfully, tapping his shoe against the floor. You knew what he was going to ask. It was the entire reason behind last night's party. He wanted you to marry someone he approved of. And Kylo was not that man.

"So dear, have you chosen a suitor?" He asked suddenly, fork scraping against the ornate plate. You jumped and tried to hide your surprise. You cleared your throat, thinking of Kylo as you ran your fingers over your locket. The piece of silk that sat near your heart, never leaving the locket in 10 years.

"I have." You finally say. You could only think of him. HIs smile, his laughter, his lips on yours, his cock splitting you open in the early hours of the morning while he kissed you to silence your moans. That was all you wanted for the rest of your life.

"Wonderful! Who have you chosen?" He asked, setting his silverware on the table and lacing his fingers together expectantly.

"Ky-Commodore Whiteford's son." You caught yourself before saying his name aloud. You doubted your father would remember Kylo from all those years ago, he barely remembered your mothers name now. But you didn't want to risk being discovered.

"A wise choice." Your father said calmly. "You shall be married tomorrow then." With that he returned to his breakfast. You were taken aback.

Tomorrow? Why so soon? This wedding was to be akin to a royal wedding! You were the only daughter of the Governor of Port Royal, your wedding would be a popular event, widely looked forward to. You had hoped that you would have enough time to flee with Kylo. But as your father continued to eat unphased you realized that would not be the case.

"Tomorrow? That seems sudden." You said. He gave you no response.

"I won't have time to have a dress made, and the food must be prepared, and we must invite the cousins, aren't we father?" You asked, trying to think of any excuse to push it off.

"I'm not sure I'll be ready that soon, It would be difficult to pre-" He cut you off with a shout.

"I won't have my daughter known as an old maid. You have been unwed _long_ enough. Galivanting about in the gardens, sitting with the birds. People will start to think you're strange." He snapped. You fell quiet. He hadn't snapped at you in so long. You looked down at the wooden table in front of you and willed yourself not to cry.

"Contact Commodore Whiteford's estate, let him know the news." Your father said to one of the guards. The man nodded before leaving. Your father finished his breakfast, standing from the table and exiting the room himself. You waited a moment to see if he would return. When he did not, you stood quickly, retreating to your room and locking the door. 

You quickly reached into the back of your wardrobe. Hidden behind your ornate, expensive dresses and the fluffed petticoats, was a simple skirt and a pair of plain shoes. The same outfits the hand maids wore. Instead of a sealskin cloak, there was one made of a rough material, and no gloves in sight. You quickly slipped the outfit on before exiting the room with your head down. You walked quickly, drawing little attention to yourself as you went. You'd done this a hundred times. If nobody was looking for you, nobody would notice your absence.

As soon as you made if out of the large house you made B-line for the docks, hoping against hope that you could spot Kylo amongst the hundreds there every day.

* * *

Kylo wove his way through the stalls of the marketplace, keeping an eye out for anything of particular interest. He didn't have anything specific in mind, anything shiny that caught his attention would do. He loved jewelry, something shiny, something valuable, something worth his time.

He'd left his thick belt, his tri-cornered hat, and his faded coat on the boat in the hopes of blending in with the locals more. He'd released his hair from the tie as an attempt to hide the scar on his face. He wandered the marketplace in his black breeches and shirt, watching the people walk past him without a second glance. Despite the fact that nobody was paying attention to him, he took comfort from the feeling of the flintlock tucked into his waistband. 

He suddenly stopped when something finally grabbed his attention. It was a gold ring. A simple thing, a thin gold band with silver borders, something he thought you'd like. It looked like it was your size, and gold was such a soft metal he could easily have one of the stones from his treasury inlaid in the ring.

"How much?" He asked, gesturing to the ring with one hand. He wanted to avoid pulling out his coin pouch unless absolutely necessary. There was no reason to draw attention. The man behind the table took one look at him and sneered. He pulled his lips over his top teeth as he spoke, jutting out his chin. He looked like a bulldog, Kylo thought.

"More than you're worth." The man snapped before waving Kylo away dismissively. Kylo let out an annoyed huff as he turned, dropping his hands to his side and walking away. As he walked past the far end of the table, he took an unnecessarily wide step and kicked the leg of the table out from under itself. Every piece of jewelry and gem on the table came crashing down in a mighty cacophony of jingling accompanied by curses from the man.

"Oh I'm terribly sorry." Kylo said, diving to his knees and quickly picking up the pieces of jewelry to hand back to the man. He carefully plucked the tempting gold ring from the dust and with a quick sleight of hand, replaced it for one of the more convincing gold painted iron rings on his finger. As he reached again to drop a necklace into the man's grubby hands, the sleeve on his left arm slid up to reveal the branded "P" on the inside of his forearm. The man reeled back suddenly, tumbling onto his ass in the dirt.

" _Pirate!_ " He shouted "There's a pirate robbing me!" He cried as he rolled about trying to push himself up. Kylo turned his head quickly to see a hundred pairs of eyes on him. A hundred and two pairs, if he counted the guards who had appeared from around the corner to see what the commotion was about. 

Kylo cursed loudly as the guards took a step towards him, guns pointed as they demanded for him to lift his sleeves. Kylo gave a sickly sweet smile as he stood slowly, hands in the air. 

"There's been a misunderstanding, I was simply helping this man reclaim his merchandise." Kylo said smoothly, hands still raised. The guards didn't lower their guns and he found himself growing increasingly annoyed. He cursed the East India Trading Company and their nasty habits of branding their offenders.

"If you don't show us your arms we'll be forced to take you to the gallows for disobeying the crown." One guard snapped. Kylo nodded, holding his palms out flat as a sign for them to stop. The guards slowed their approach as Kylo reached for his right sleeve with his left hand. He pushed it up to reveal an empty forearm. As he reached for the other sleeve, he quickly dropped to his stomach and rolled under a nearby table as the guards fired into the hay bales behind where he had just stood.

He heard the guards shout and he stood quickly, knocking the table over into the guards. He turned and ran towards the exit of the marketplace. People moved out of his way, and those who didn't were pushed. His breaths matched his footfalls as he vaulted an empty table, pausing in his run to look between his two options.

The docks. A chance for escape, a clearer path, but certainly a dead end if he couldn't lose the guards before he reached them. Or the crafters shops. More people, more chances to lose the guards, and no clear goal in sight. He heard the guards gaining behind him as he shifted his weight on the balls of his feet before sprinting in the direction of the docks.

"Halt!" He heard the guards call and a minié ball ricochet off the stone wall he had just run past. He turned the corner into an alley, pausing and pulling the flintlock from the waistband of his breeches. He backed against the fence at the other end of the empty alley, eyeing the barrels stacked next to it. As the guards rounded the corner into the alley he fired the flintlock. One of them cried out in pain, gripping his arm and dropping his musket.

Kylo quickly turned, running towards the barrel and jumping, planting one foot on the edge of the barrel while pushing himself up. He grabbed the top of the fence, planting his opposite foot on the boards and pushed off to hoist himself over the flat top of the fence. He dropped down into the alley on the other side, calmly walking out of the empty space into the busy street.

He looked around, seeing a coal cart headed for the docks approaching him. He calmly walked down the street, waiting for the cart to get close enough. With a small hop he caught the edge of the cart, pulling himself into the back of it and settling back into the coal for the bumpy ride to the docks. As the cart moved, Kylo examined the ring on his finger while singing quietly to himself.

_"Shiver my timbers, shiver my soul, Yo oh, heave ho, There are men whose hearts are as black as coal, Yo oh, heave ho."_

_******** _

When they finally arrived, he hopped out of the cart and glanced around. In a small corner of the docks was a small dinghy. It flew no flag and was little more than a lifeboat. Sitting on some of the crates by the dinghy were three of his most trusted crew members, aside from Phasma, who was manning the Bloodbath from afar. Her job was to keep it afloat, and out of sight of the Royal Navy who were sure to recognize it as a pirates ship.

He approached his crew with a smile, greeting them joyously. There was laughing and pats on the back as he showed off his catch. He relayed the story of how he avoided the guards before pulling his pistol from his waistband with the intention of reloading it.

"Kylo!" He heard someone call. He snapped his head up, looking around before fixing his eyes on the crew. There was nobody else in sight who should have known his name.

"Are you fucking with me?" He asked, gesturing towards them with the barrel of the unloaded gun. They each shook their heads before turning to search for the voice as well.

"Kylo!" There it was again, slightly louder as whoever was shouting grew closer. Finally, one of the crew laughed heartily.

"You shack up with a whore last night captain?" He asked with a laugh, pointing towards the woman calling his name. She was dressed in hand maids garb and was drawing far too much attention to herself, and by extension, Kylo.

"I'll give you one thing you chose a pretty one." Another man said while laughing. Kylo stood abruptly, cuffing the two sharply over the head and dropping his flintlock into one of their laps with the command "reload that" before heading towards you. He knew it was you, that was always the outfit you wore to come see him at the docks. 

Though you usually weren't screaming your head off like a wounded chicken.

"Love what are you doing here?" He asked softly, resting his hands on your biceps. He lowered his head, trying to avoid the attention of the navy roaming the dock, along with the guards keeping an eye for pirates. Fat load of good they were. He realized as you spoke that you had been crying, but because of what he could not tell.

"My father, he's, the wedding, it's tomorrow Kylo!" You lamented, leaning against his chest and sobbing. He carefully wrapped his arms around you, shushing you as you cried. You finally sniffled, pulling away and looking up at him.

"I need you to come, tonight," You said. He started shaking his head, there was no way he could "please Kylo _please!_ " You begged, gripping his shirt tightly as more tears welled in your eyes. He couldn't! As much as it pained him to break your heart there was no way he could get everything ready by tonight!

"I can't," He said gently. You begged again and he gripped your shoulders, shaking you slightly. "No listen to me, I can't come tonight (y/n)." He said. You closed your mouth, pouting up at him.

"I'm sorry. I will be there tomorrow. I promise. But the ship isn't ready to sail yet." He said softly. You leaned back into his chest, crying quietly as he rubbed your back. If the wedding was tomorrow, that meant a major change of plans. There was no way he could get in and out without being noticed.

So, he would have to make himself known on _his_ terms.

"I promise I'll be there."


	5. Chapter 5

You sucked in a sharp breath as the hand maids pulled the strings on the stiff corset you wore. All this fussing to prepare you for the thick, heavy fabric of your mothers wedding dress. Something to remember her by, your father said. He seemed to have forgotten the locket you wore belonged to her. It figured he would, you'd always assumed their marriage was a political one.

You heard the clop of his shoes like horse hooves on the stone floor, quite the contrast to the comforting thud of Kylo's bootsteps. He stepped into the room and you were thankful for the wooden divider you stood behind as your outfit was prepared around you. He started talking and you had to admit, you weren't paying the slightest bit of attention. Instead you were looking out the double doors over the balcony, onto the sea. You eyed the ships buzzing around the ports and wondered which you would be on with Kylo.

"(y/n) did you hear me?" Your father snapped. You shook your head, shaking away the thoughts of being with Kylo on the sea.

"What was that father?" You asked, rolling your eyes. The hand maids hid their giggles and you smiled along with them. Your father let out a hefty sigh.

"What is the grooms name, (y/n)?" He asked. He sounded exhausted. You furrowed your brows, worrying your lip between your teeth as you thought hard. You couldn't remember it if your life depended on it.

"Um," You paused. You could hear your fathers shoe tapping on the stone floor.

"Jackson," One of the hand maids whispered.

"Jashton?" You called

"No _Jackson_ miss." She hissed with a chuckle.

"Jackson!" You hurried to get the word out before your father could say something.

"And what is his occupation?" He continued. You cursed under your breath as the maids fastened the petticoat around your waist to go under the dress. You must have paused too long for your fathers liking.

"He was one of the crew of the Essex before he became captain of The Brilliance." Ah yes, you remembered the Essex. It had been one of the finest ships of the fleet. You didn't know the specifics, you never did, but you knew your father was proud of it. It had been a newer ship, sailing under Captain Jonah Hewitt. Captain Hewitt had been a dear friend of your fathers, before the tragedy.

The Essex was sank 6 years ago. When it hadn't returned it was assumed the ship was at the bottom of the sea, the crew along with it. You remember there had been one survivor who had washed ashore and made his way back here, to Port Royal, but you couldn't ever remember who. Apparently it was your betrothed. You remembered the story, of a pirate ship white as the sun descending on the ship and slaughtering the crew with no mercy. It was a terrible story, you were only comforted by the fact that the pirates ship had sank along with the Essex. The foul men were hopefully rotting in hell.

"Wonderful." You responded without much enthusiasm. The hand maids finally finished dressing you. You glanced at the full length mirror, admiring your silhouette. The dress was beautiful, but it felt wrong to be wearing it. To wear your mothers dress while marrying somebody you didn't love felt like an affront to her memory.

You glanced down to the locket sitting on your chest. You refused to take it off, you couldn't bear to. You'd sworn you wouldn't take it off until Kylo was safe in your arms again. Though it was a reminder of him on your wedding day, one that anyone could see should they open it, it would stay around your neck over your heart until you were with Kylo again. You finally stepped our from behind the wooden screen, struggling to balance in the new shoes your father had brought you. The only thing truly yours about this wedding.

"Oh (y/n), you look lovely." He said. You gave him a tight lipped grin before turning back to the balcony, gazing towards the docks longingly. You hoped Kylo would be here in time.

* * *

Despite his protests you had convinced your father to host a late wedding dinner rather than an early morning affair as tradition stated. You were never one for early mornings, you enjoyed your sleep. Especially the mornings where your sheets still smelled like Kylo, that salty sea smell and a tang of something else you could never quite pinpoint. The second reason was that you wanted to give the kitchen help time to prepare for the amount of people your father had invited.

The third reason, was an entirely selfish one. You wanted to give Kylo a chance to arrive before you were forced to consummate the marriage. You knew it was important to both your father and Commodore Whiteford that their children carry on their bloodline, even if you didn't put up a fight about the marriage you imagined they would want to hold a bedding ceremony.

Currently it was the after wedding celebrations. Dinner had been served, dessert as well. Wine had been drank and cheeks were rosy as people talked and laughed amongst each other. Everyone but you. You had abstained from any drinking tonight, hoping nobody noticed. Of course Cyrus had, but he wasn't one to tell. Instead he had cornered you as people mingled.

"You're not drinking dear?" He asked, holding his own goblet of wine. He was wearing a classy coat that complimented Alida's gown, a gown strikingly similar to her wedding dress. You turned to Cyrus with a tight lipped smile.

"No. Not tonight." You offered no more explanation than that. Cyrus eyed the ring on your finger. It was a gaudy thing. The gems were much too large for your taste, it made your hand feel heavy, you wished you could take it off and fling it into the sea along with your _husband_.

"It's a lovely wedding." He said gently. You gave no reaction. "And you are a beautiful bride." He tried to offer. You knew he meant well, but something about him saying that, when Kylo was not the groom, made your heart ache.

"Yes thank you Cyrus." You said quickly, walking away from him to, somewhere else. You couldn't decide where, nowhere felt safe and you surely couldn't retreat to your room.

"Hey!" You heard somebody shout.

"Lord (l/n)'s daughter's been an old maid for too long!" There was a chorus of "aye's!" in agreement of the faceless man who had shouted. You felt your heart pound, you knew what they were about to suggest.

"Let's hold a bedding ceremony! Just to be sure she doesn't run off." You swallowed the bile in your throat as the guests cheered. You heard your father stuttering in protest but it was quickly drowned out by the herd of people pushing you and Jackson both towards the wedding chambers of the large house. 

The room was lovely, in other circumstances. The bed was large and one of the more comfortable in the house. There was a large balcony that overlooked the sea, with plenty of candles to light the room. The balcony offered a stunning view of the docks. Ironic, you thought. You could look out over the sea and wish it was Kylo on top of you tonight.

Once the guests had deposited you and Jackson in the room, you did your best to avoid his gaze. He took a step towards you and you flinched away.

"Come now love," He said. You winced. Only Kylo had ever called you love in that tone. You'd hoped you never had to hear it from the mouth of another man. "they're right, you were viewed as an old maid." Jackson said. You turned to look at him scornfully.

"We can fix that, if we have a child everyone will know you're no longer an old maid." He tried to push. He hesitantly touched your shoulder as you let out a huff. There was nothing you could do to protest. 

Jackson turned you around, fussing with the lacing on the back of the wedding dress. It wasn't complicated, it hadn't taken the maids long to lace it, but you assumed Jackson had never been faced with women's clothing.

You could hear him cursing and growling under his breath as he tugged at the dress. You stifled a giggle as you wondered how he would react when he faced the ties on your corset and petticoat. 

The humor was quickly cut, along with your dress, when Jackson pulled a small knife from within his coat. You heard the sick sound of fabric tearing and felt your dress, corset, and petticoat come loose and fall to the floor. You gasped, watching the delicate fabric of your mothers dress pool around your feet. Tears pricked at your eyes as you covered your mouth with your hand.

"There, finally." Jackson said, whirling your around. He tried to lean in and press his lips to yours, but you dodged so his lips connected with your neck. You felt a burst of electricity shoot through your nerves, but not the way it did when Kylo kissed you. This was sickening and uncomfortable, it made you wish you could never be touched by him again.

Your saving grace came in the form of gunshots from the ballroom.

You heard the guests scream as more gunshots sounded, echoing through the halls. Jackson quickly pulled away, turning to face the door. You were grateful the attention had been diverted from you as you clutched your shift.

You began to panic. Where was Kylo? He had promised he would be here tonight and yet he wasn't here, how would you escape this? Surely a raid of sorts. Why did it have to be tonight, of all the nights it could be.

As your thoughts raced Jackson drew his sword from the scabbard on his hip, placing himself in front of you. There was a loud knocking on the door, someone announcing their presence.

"I'm with my wife, leave at once." Jackson shouted. There was no response form the person on the other side of the door, just another knock. More forceful this time, almost as though Jackson's words had angered the man.

"Stay here, I'll return." Jackson turned to you quickly. You nodded, backing towards the bed. Jackson approached the door, opening it and stepping out. You heard blades clanging in the hallway, so loudly you almost missed the grunting from the balcony. 

You gasped, before rushing towards the wardrobe and climbing inside of it, hiding within the clothes. You left the door open just a crack, just enough that you could see what was happening in the room.

You watched as two large men dropped into the room from the balcony. They walked around the bed, peeking under the bed, under the desk, anywhere they thought you could hide. As they turned if became obvious who they were. Pirates. You were in the midst of a pirate raid.

"Where the hell is she? Captain'll be done with the knave soon enough." A gruff voice said. They were here for you. The sounds of swords stopped outside the door, followed by a gunshot. You gasped loudly, unable to stop yourself as something heavy slumped against the door from the outside.

The men turned towards the wardrobe, opening the door and pulling you out quickly. Your mouth was covered before you could scream. The larger of the two men picked you up, hoisting you over his shoulder as the smaller tied a rag around your mouth to muffle your screams.

As the men opened the door of the room Jackson's lifeless body fell to the floor. There was no sign of the "captain," only Jackson's body with a bullet hole in his stomach. You tried to scream, but the gag blocked the sound as the pirates carried you down the halls and out the doors towards the docks.

* * *

You were unceremoniously dumped onto the deck of a large ship, with dark wood and sails as black as the night. It smelled of the sea, of sweat, and iron. You wouldn't be surprised if the wood bled. You looked around frantically, trying to scurry away from the men surrounding you from all sides. Your heart pounded as the crew watched you, like some sick form of entertainment. You heard murmuring, which all silenced when a pair of heavy boots connected with the deck behind you.

"Don't touch her." A familiar voice commanded. You felt relief upon hearing Kylo's baritone voice. He was here to rescue you, to take you with him. But at the same time, there was no way he could defeat an entire pirate crew, one who's captain had killed the son of the Commodore.

You heard his boot steps as he circled around in front of you, and your heart lurched.

There was Kylo, your Kylo. He stood before you in his black breeches and black cotton shirt. The red sash was tied around his waist, the tails of it hanging down to his left thigh, pinned down by the blade of a cutlass attached to a wide leather belt. On his other hip hung a flintlock pistol, hidden partially under the black darner coat. His hands were covered in rings of any design, shape, metal you could think of. The tri-cornered hat sitting atop his head confirmed your worst fears.

"Take her to my quarters." He growled to the crew, turning his back on you. You began struggling again as the large men from before approached you.

"Aye Captain." One responded to Kylo before hoisting you over his shoulder, hauling you off to the unknown location of the Captains quarters.


End file.
